Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira at Luveve Stadium
Chicken Inn 1-0 Manica Diamonds
MANICA Diamonds’ Jairosi Tapera handed ex-Warriors midfielder Kudakwashe Mahachi a starting place only for the player to last 32 minutes in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match they lost to home side Chicken Inn at Luveve Stadium yesterday.
Leading to the match, Mahachi had made the headlines with rumours that he had fallen out of favour with Tapera.
Despite all the negative talk in the corridors about his alleged fallout with Mahachi, Tapera granted the player a starting place in his squad that went down to the Gamecocks on a 1-0 score line.
In the build-up to the goal, lively George Majika played a short pass to Authur Chinda when the Manica Diamonds expected a long ball into the box. The latter made a run into the box and squared the ball into the box which Lawrence Masibhera turned into his own net after 16 minutes. It turned out to be the only goal of the game.
In his post-match interview Tapera disputed every allegation of a rift between him and Mahachi of late.“We have got players and we value their contribution. At the same time there are some tactics and movements that we respect and should be applied and hence we made changes. When we made changes we had value but we were unfortunate not to equalise.
“But whatever Mahachi did in terms of movement and formations he did it at his best. In football, it’s about portions. Each player has his own portion. I think he had his portion and whoever came in also played his portion. We respect those things. What is important is to go on and restart and re-organise ourselves.
“You can imagine the rumours that were there when I was with the national team. We are used to these rumours. It’s wrong. For some of you guys (journalists) who report. I think we need to respect each other. These rumours affect everybody. Not only me but everyone. I think you guys (journalists) must have respect for us. We also value your contribution. But when things go that way it’s very wrong,” said Tapera. Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas said it was a sweet victory for them.
“In our last game against ZPC Kariba, the travel arrangements were not perfect and the boys were fatigued. It was a game of two halves. We dominated the first-half and they had the edge in the second half but for us, it was a sweet victory,” said Antipas after a game in which Majika could have thrust them into the lead after 12 minutes.
Majika sent in a perfect cross from the left but Joseph Tulani sent his header wide despite being free inside the box After 26 minutes of play. Then Majika’s well-taken strike from outside the box went a few inches over the bar. As Chicken Inn dominated the first-half, Danny Phiri shot from a distance after 36 minutes but his effort went wide.
A minute later, Kelvin Gwao brought down Brian Muza but the loud appeals from the Gamecocks family were turned down by the referee. Manica Diamonds threatened towards the end of the first half with Masibhera bringing in three inviting crosses from the right inside the box in quick succession but the Gamecocks defence was on high alert.
In the second stanza, Manica Diamonds were the dominant lot only to be eluded by the killer punch. Gamecocks are now in position six with 33 points, 10 behind log leaders Simba Bhora. Simba Bhora edged Yadah 1-0 to move to the top of the CastleLager Premiership table. Tymon Machope scored the solitary goal of the match in the first-half.
Simba Bora amassed 43 points, one ahead of second-placed FC Platinum, who will face CAPS United at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon. Ngezi Platinum and Green Fuel played a goalless draw, while Herentals and ZPC Kariba also registered a nil-all stalemate.
Castle Lager Premiership Matchday 22
Results
Yesterday: Simba Bhora 1-0 Yadah, Ngezi Platinum 0-0 Greenfuel, Chicken Inn 1-0 Manica Diamonds, Herentals 0-0 ZPC Kariba.
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